SOCIETY HILL SYNAGOGUE MARCH/APRIL 2017 NEWSLETTER Kesher Inside Messages from:
2 - 3 • Student Rabbi’s Column • President’s Column 4 - 5 • Cantor’s Column • Ann Spak Thal Hebrew School 6 - 7 • Playschool • Nominating Committee • Arts & Culture SHS Annual • Inter-NOSH-ional Night 8 - 9 • PIC Community • POWER • Young Friends of SHS • 2016-2017 B’nai Mitzvah Seder 10 - 11 • Birthdays Tuesday, April 11, 6 PM • Anniversaries Come to SHS’s Annual Second Night Passover Seder! • Social Action Committee Join us in the Social Hall where Rabbinic Intern Nathan Kamesar will lead a creative, fun-filled, and interactive Community Seder on the second night of 12 - 13 Passover. • Contributions We will be ordering delicious kosher meals from Panache Catering. 14 - 15 (www.foodarama.com) • TGIShabbat Schedule 16-17 Cost: $45 per adult $20 per child (under 13) • Annual Giving Thank you Fee includes a complete Seder plate for each table. • Hebrew School Photos Bring your own Kosher for Passover wine! 18 - 19 • Photo Gallery RSVPs and payments are REQUIRED by Monday, April 3. Seating may • Purim Carnival be limited, so please contact the office at [email protected] or 215.922.6590 ASAP. 20 - 21
• Young Families Group Menu: Gefilte Fish with Horseradish, Chopped Chicken Liver, Apricot • Photo Gallery Glazed Roasted Chicken or Grilled Salmon, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrot 22 - 23 Medley, Potato Kugel, Mixed Garden Salad, Pickles, Sour Tomatoes, • March/April Calendars Olives, Matzah, Assorted Passover Cakes, Cookies, and Fresh Fruit. Seating requests will be honored if possible.
Wishing everyone a sweet and happy Passover! 2 SOCIETY HILL SYNAGOGUE’S KESHER
Student Rabbi’s Column How Can We Keep Our Spiritual Tanks Filled? Nathan Kamesar
n these trying times, one of the virtues of being affiliated with a religious institution is that that institution is (or should be) unwaveringly concerned with what it means to be a human being, I and particularly with what it takes to ensure that we, as human beings, are not running on empty––that we are physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually nourished. This enables us to serve others with the urgency that this moment deserves.
So how does a synagogue, for instance, do this? How can it help you to keep your soul nourished so that you can, in turn, help those around you?
In many different ways. And not all of these ways are compatible with all of our spiritual needs.
For some, religion and spirituality are largely matters of thinking: we like to intellectualize our religious experience. For us, the most relevant sites for spirituality might be Torah study or Adult Education classes. We like to theorize, for instance, about why our ancestors would have chosen the specific laws they chose. Why prohibit consuming meat and milk together? Could that have been based on ancient intuitions about health needs? Or was it merely a matter of making ourselves distinct from neighboring peoples? Questions of this nature and the discussions they evoke can have the effect of nourishing our souls, lifting us off the ground, giving us a little hop in our step so that we feel more energized to help folks around us.
For some of us, spirituality takes place in prayer spaces. The liturgy itself, largely focused on grandiosity––sovereignty, celestiality, vastness, immensity––lifts us beyond the mundane we typically encounter and takes us up into the clouds, so to speak, allowing us to feel rejuvenated for the work down below. Alternatively, prayer spaces give us the room to have personal dialogues with God: we may not be entirely clear about who is on the other end of our two-way conversation, but we feel heard. Perhaps we even feel guided. We feel what the Hasidic masters called d’vekut (cleaving to God), and that relationship propels us forward.
For others, perhaps, it’s a combination of the two: the traditional liturgy gives us the roadmap to talk to God; someone has provided the script, and we inhabit the character uttering those words. Someone has provided the lyrics and we provide the melody. Talking to God can be daunting otherwise. It can help to travel the road already traveled by our ancestors, even while our own footprints look and feel different.
Finally, with respect to prayer spaces, there are those of us for whom the traditional liturgy is an obstacle to holiness, rather than a vehicle. Ancient idioms about kings alienate us. Talk of angels weirds us out. Still there is something about sharing a physical space with fellow Jews or with friends and family that lifts us to a higher place.
Music is another mode of spirituality for many people. Whether it is the beautiful performances we see once a month here during TGIShabbat services, or the soulful dirge of a High Holy Day melody, or the cheery finale to a Shabbat service like Adon Olam or Ein Keloheinu which brings us back to our childhood, music can lift our spirits. Our ancestors recognized this. It is why so many of the Psalms contain the superscription (first verse) “For the leader, with instrumental music” or words to that effect. It may even be non-Jewish music that does it for you (Ray Charles, Muddy Waters, and Otis Redding all tend to have this effect on me).
The point is to be conscientious about making sure your tank is filled and not assuming that because a particular mode of spirituality doesn’t work for you––traditional prayer liturgy, for example––that you are “not a spiritual person.”
We often get the sense that self-care is important. To that end we seek out physical fitness routines that feel good; we find foods to nourish us; and we attend to our psychological and emotional needs, finding friends to talk to, or a therapist perhaps. But with the enterprise of self-care seeming all the more central given the levels of social anxiety we encounter, it is important that we not neglect the spiritual element of our well-being. Continued on page 14 3 MARCH/APRIL 2017 | 5777 President’s Column Service and Satisfaction Harry J. Oxman
ecently a close friend, who is not a member of SHS, asked me whether I found the job of congregation president to be very demanding. I was tempted to ask him if he was joking, R but then I remembered that he had been the president of a large suburban congregation and that his question was actually more nuanced. We then had a discussion about the demands of the job, but also about the tremendous opportunities for serving the community and for personal satisfaction that the position makes possible.
So, while I must confess that there are times this job makes more demands of my effort, my time, my thoughts, and my emotional commitment than I originally imagined, I also must admit that on the personal satisfaction side, my expectations have been overwhelmingly exceeded. A big explanation for my good fortune stems from the collective community spirit in our shul. Like other members of this congregation who devote their time and passion to our community, I have been deeply moved by the appreciation and thanks I receive. There is nothing more satisfying, and motivating then to know, by both word and response, that my efforts are realized and appreciated. So, eight months into this first year of my presidential term, I thank you all for your support and promise that I will continue to make every effort to lead this community in meeting the challenges ahead.
Let us look at what has occurred since July 1, 2016, and then I will address plans for the future.
First, Rabbi Winokur is now on a long overdue sabbatical that started at the beginning of February and will continue until the middle of May. The synagogue leadership was well prepared, and together with Student Rabbi Nathan Kamesar, Cantors Friedrich and Friedman, and our outstanding Religion Committee members, our schedule of engaging and spiritually uplifting services will continue without interruption. If you have not heard one of Nathan’s D’var Torahs, I recommend that you do so soon. His talks regularly provide deep and interesting insights. I offer my thanks to the SHS membership for the gracious manner in which you are supporting Rabbi Winokur’s temporary absence.
As you know, the Cantor Search process is underway. Rather, than showing reluctance to undertake this task so soon after completing a search last year, Co-Chairs Terri Novick and Marc Schwartz, along with the members of their committee, have enthusiastically begun the work necessary to make this new effort successful. Cantor Jessi Roemer had her interview and auditions in January, and we expect to have several more candidates participate in the interview and audition process in March and April. I applaud the congregation’s participation in the evaluation of Cantor Roemer and expect an equal level of involvement going forward. Your input is critical and your participation confirms to the leadership that you appreciate the Search Committee’s efforts to find the best candidates for this job.
As a result of the current Board’s initiative, we established an SHS Past Presidents Advisory Committee. Immediate Past President Debra Stewart chaired the first meeting on January 17, and more than ten past presidents attended. This productive meeting allowed experienced past leaders to share their institutional memory and advice with current Board members. Most inspiring was that so many of our Past Presidents remained dedicated to Society Hill Synagogue. We look forward to scheduling more of these meetings in the future.
In addition to our Cantor Search, we will also be undertaking a search to find a new B’nai Mitzvah Educator. Cantor Friedrich has been working with the Hebrew School students in this capacity, and we will certainly miss his presence and skillful training. Unfortunately, it is not possible for him to continue to travel the substantial distance from his home to perform these duties next year. A search committee has been formed under the leadership of Educational Director Sahar Oz and Education Committee Co-Chairs Carmen Hayman and Sara Chrismer. This group and their respective committee members are dedicated to finding a highly qualified educator for the students in the Hebrew School as they prepare for their B’nai Mitzvah. . Continued on page 9 4 SOCIETY HILL SYNAGOGUE’S KESHER
Whatever its origin may actually be, the grogger has survived centuries of use (abuse?) to link it with the shofar as the only primitive Jewish musical instruments to be played into the twenty-first century. However, unlike the shofar, which must be carved from a ram's horn, the grogger can be formed from any any of the customs associated material. I have seen them made out of wood, plastic, with the celebration of Purim are aluminum, Popsicle sticks, and tongue depressors, each M certainly unique among Jewish material having its own unique sound. I for one would be holiday traditions. Purim is, after all, a festive event happy to see and hear other kinds of noisemakers. Be whose revelries stand out in stark contrast to the formal creative and come join us in the revelry of Purim. Our dignity of most other Jewish holy days. It has been my celebration this year will take place on Saturday evening, experience on Purim in many synagogues that the noise March 11. It is sure to be a noisy night. level during the reading of the Megillah occasionally rivals the volume of a rock concert. According to research by Cantor Abraham Binder published in 1949, noisemaking at the mention of the name of Haman dates back to the earliest days of public Megillah readings. Based on Deuteronomy 25:19, Jews are commanded to blot out the name of Amalek (Haman's ancestral tribe), the first enemy of the Jews after they left Egypt. Various noisemaking techniques developed in the Diaspora. East Asian Jews would write the name of Haman on the soles of their shoes, then rub them or stamp them on the ground to obliterate Haman's name. It was a common practice of Jews in the Mideast to knock two stones together and stamp their feet at the mention of Haman's name. In Persia, children wearing masks would go from house to house beating drums and collecting food. In Italy, where Jews on Purim would cir- cle around a burning effigy of Haman, trumpets were blown. The practice of using the grogger at the mention of Haman's name, as we know the custom today, goes back to thirteenth-century France and Germany. Today's grogger is actually a percussion instrument very much related to an instrument called a ratchet found in modern orchestras. It is a combination of two primitive instruments: the bull-roarer and the scraper. The bull-roarer consisted of a long stick at the top of which was attached a string, and at the end of the string was a thin board. When the instrument was twirled, it made a weird noise. The faster it was twirled, the higher the pitch of the noise. The scraper consisted of a notched shell, bone, or gourd, which was scraped with a rigid object. Noisemaking of this kind was an old custom among primitive people at the outgoing and incoming of new seasons, to scare away the evil spirits. (Sounds just like the way New Year's Eve is celebrated in Philadelphia, doesn't it?) Purim, which comes at the beginning of springtime, may have adopted the grogger from similar Gentile practices at this season.
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.Ann Spak Thal School We have two Shabbat Class Services set for April, the Gan (Kindergarten) class will help lead services Spring Splendors on Saturday, April 8 at 10:30 AM, and Kitah Dalet (4th Sahar Oz grade) will lead the Kabbalat Shabbat service on Friday, April 21 at 6:15 PM. Note that the 4th grade he Talmud teaches us that “when Adar service has been rescheduled from its original .date of March 31 משנכנס אדר “) ”enters, we increase joy and this Adar, we have מרבין בשמחה”), T many reasons to rejoice! Each service will be followed by a delicious meal, with lunch on Saturday and dinner on Friday. To We have two B’nai Mitzvah celebrations coming up, with Maxon optimize our preparations, we ask for your RSVP for Raphael’s big day on Saturday, March 4, and Lysander each meal to Betty at least two days before each Michaels-Koenig’s Bar Mitzvah two weeks later on Saturday, service: [email protected]. March 18. Each service will begin at 9:30 AM, so come experience these seventh graders’ achievements in Jewish There will be no classes from Sunday, April 9 through learning and Torah and Haftarah reading. Tuesday, April 18, in celebration of Passover. When we return to class from the Passover break on On Sunday, March 5, students from grades 6–9 (Kitot Vav–Tet) Sunday, April 23, students in grades 3 and above will will travel to the Jewish Relief Agency (JRA) warehouse in participate in a memorial observance of Yom Northeast Philadelphia and join other volunteers to organize Hasho’ah (Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance and deliver food packages to Jewish neighbors in need of Day). assistance. We have secured a bus to bring our delegation to the JRA and then take us on the delivery route. On Sunday, April 30, we will celebrate Yom Ha’atzma’ut (Israel Independence Day) in Sunday Parents are encouraged to join us, and everyone going from School, Hebrew School, and Hebrew High. Our older our school can either drive on their own to JRA and meet us students will precede their celebration with a brief there at 10 AM or arrive at the synagogue by 9 AM to board the ceremony to mark Yom Hazikaron (Remembrance bus. We will return to the synagogue by 1 PM. Day for Israel’s Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism). Of course, Adar also brings us Purim! The holiday begins on Saturday night, March 11, in the Sanctuary with our Despicable Our faculty and I wish you and your family a happy Me-themed Purim Cantata at 7 PM, featuring a wonderful cast Purim, a liberating Passover, and a spring season of 13 students from 3rd through 6th grades. Scotch tasting will filled with joy and wonder! Hag same’ah! follow in the Social Hall at 7:30 PM, with the Megillah “mishegas” reading upstairs in the Sanctuary at 8 PM. Come in See Photos on page 17. costume, and join us for an evening of comedy, music, treats, silliness, and a lot of fun!
The next day, Sunday, March 12, classes for all grades from Pre-K through Hebrew High will meet from 9–11 AM, and then the Purim Carnival festivities will follow from 11 AM–1 PM. Buy your tickets at the door, play the games, and see how many prizes you can win!
On Sunday, April 2, our students in grades 7–9 (Kitot Zayin– Tet) will have the opportunity to visit the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum with fellow Jewish teens who are students at Congregation Rodeph Shalom, Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel, and Congregation Kesher Israel. The subsidized registration cost of $36 per student includes round-trip bus transportation and a Kosher boxed lunch.
6 SOCIETY HILL SYNAGOGUE’S KESHER
Playschool The Playschool will be closed from Monday, April 10 through Tuesday, April 18, for Passover. The Playschool Is Buzzing With Spring Activities! Upcoming special presentations in our After School Arts will include a music program performed by the students Gloria Parris & Ali Kaplan of Play on Philly at St. Francis De Sales School, on Thursday, March 2. On Tuesday, April 4, the children arch begins with the celebration of Purim in the will learn about dinosaurs and fossils, and each child Playschool. Each of the classes will sing Purim will take home their very own fossil. We hope that all of M songs for their families and invited guests. The the children will extend their Playschool days by children will dress in costumes of their choice, including attending these exciting programs. ones that are traditional to Purim. After each class performance, everyone will have lunch together. On Summer camp information and applications will be Thursday, March 9, at 10:30 AM, the Pre-Kindergarten available soon. The Playschool Summer Camp will class will perform their songs. At 11:30 AM, on Thursday, begin on Monday, June 5, and extend through Friday, students in the 3–4-year-old class will perform. On Friday, July 28. Children, between the ages of 2 and 5 may be March 10, at 11 AM, the children in the 2-year-old class enrolled for the full 8-week program, weekly, or daily. will sing the Purim songs that they have learned. All chil- The regular camp hours are 8:30 AM until 12:30 PM. dren are invited to participate with their classes, even if Early care begins at 7:45 AM. After Camp Arts and Late Thursdays or Fridays are not their usual days to attend the Care until 6 PM will also be available. Playschool. This is the second summer that the Playschool will The Purim Carnival will be held on Sunday, March 12, present two Specialty Camps during the weeks of July from 11 AM until 1 PM. All Playschool and Sunday School, 31 and August 7. All projects and activities will focus on and friends are invited to attend this holiday event. Join us a weekly theme. Children between the ages of 3 and 7 in the Social Hall for Purim for games, craft projects, face may be enrolled during either or both weeks of Specialty painting, music, refreshments, and prizes! Children and Camp. adults are invited to wear their favorite costumes. We will need adult and Hebrew School Finally, there are still a few class spots remaining for the volunteers to run the booths, so please upcoming school year beginning in September 2017. contact the Playschool office if you would like to help. Please make an appointment to visit our classes to learn why the Playschool is a wonderful “first-school On Monday, March 20, at 1 PM, the children in Pre-K will experience” for children. perform the original play, Flap Your Wings, adapted from a children’s book by P. D. Eastman. The Pre-K will present this play under the direction of their drama teacher, Vanda Thomas. Parents and friends are invited to attend the performance.
On Tuesday, March 21, the children in the 3–4-year-old class will be going on a trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art to participate in the Museum Looks and Picture Books program to tour the Modern Art galleries to learn about Board of Directors Nominating Abstract Art. Committee The Pre-K Class is looking forward to attending a Debra Stewart performance of Skippyjon Jones at the Walnut Street Theatre on Thursday, April 6. s Chair of the 2017 SHS Board of Directors Nominating Committee, I am pleased to inform The Playschool Spring Shabbat Dinner will be held on A you that joining me on this year’s committee are Friday, April 7, from 5–6:30 PM. All Playschool families are the following members: Sara Chrismer, Lisa Eizen, Fran invited to attend this potluck dinner. The children will recite Gallun, and Michael Yudell. We look forward to the blessings that they have learned during our weekly recommending strong candidates for any vacant Board Shabbat celebrations. Shabbat Dinners are always a seats. wonderful way to celebrate and welcome Shabbat with 7 MARCH/APRIL 2017 | 5777
Arts & Culture SHS Inter-NOSH-ional Night Join Us for the Amy Shapiro
Second Night Passover Seder ts’ time for SHS’s Annual Inter-NOSH-ional Night on April 11! on Saturday, April 22, at 7 PM! The Eleanor Oxman, Betta Kolansky, & Ellen Fennick I attendance fee is $54 per person, and all proceeds will benefit this year’s Annual Giving Fund. If space
permits, this event will also open to non-members. here was an amazing turnout at our first SHS Cabaret
on January 21. A huge thank you is extended to Menus will be available by the end of March, so watch Sahar Oz, our emcee for an evening packed with T for an email that will be coming soon. Then sign up jokes and singing. For any of you who don’t know, Sahar is ASAP by contacting contact Amy Shapiro at a comedian extraordinaire and had us rolling on the Social [email protected] or 215.280.3005, to ensure that Hall floor as he provided us with a brief history of Jewish you get a seat at a table with the cuisine of your humor. Take a look at some of the photos from the night of choice. You will find out which host’s home you will be talent on pages 18 & 21. attending after you choose your cuisine.
Several people joined us in the Social Hall on February 4, Although host homes may not be Kosher, any chicken for Israeli dancing with Rak-Dan. Don Schillinger was an or meat served will be from a Kosher manufacturer, no excellent and patient instructor and we all had a good dishes will contain shellfish, and meat will not be workout to some wonderful Israeli music. mixed with dairy.
Looking ahead, please mark your calendars for Tuesday, Don’t miss this opportunity to have a delicious meal April 11, when we will have our annual Second Night and great conversation––all while supporting this Passover Seder in the Social community-building and fund-raising event for our Hall. Check out the cover for shul. Remember, spaces are limited, and seats fill up all of the details and RSVP quickly! ASAP to ensure your spot at the table!
Finally, we hope you will join us on Sunday, April 30, at 1 PM, when Rabbi Lance Suss- man, historian of American Jew- ish History, college professor, and the Senior Rabbi at Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel in Elkins Park, will lead a walking tour of Jewish South Philly. The tour will begin at SHS with stops at Kesher Israel, B’nai Abraham, Fabric Row, the Hebrew Literature Society, and Catharine Street. The tour will run for about 2 hours and will cover approximately 2.5 miles in distance. The fee will be $10 per person.
8 SOCIETY HILL SYNAGOGUE’S KESHER
Philadelphia Interfaith Community (PIC) The Intersection of Medicine & Religion Debra Stewart
ow do medical facilities and other health care settings accommodate the religious needs of H people of different faiths?
Join us on Tuesday, March 28, 7–-9 PM, at Old St. Joseph's Church (located at 321 Willings Alley) when SHS member Linda Joy Goldner and others will share The Young Friends of SHS their Chaplaincy experiences. Don’t miss what is sure to be an interesting conversation. Stay Tuned for Our Spring Activities
Natalie Lesser & Jordan Segall POWER Carl Levitsky The Young Friends of Society Hill Synagogue are a group of individuals who are creating a community that ince the election, POWER has been active fosters Jewish identity, culture, and friendship. We dealing with the changes at the state and federal meet for potluck dinners, pre-Shabbat drinks, and level. Many in the organization, both in the S discussions about spiritual exploration. leadership and among the members, have been
searching for ways to respond to threats to the goals For further information or to join our mailing list, please toward which we have been working. We are concerned contact Co-Chairs: Natalie Lesser at about public education being attacked both at the state [email protected] or Jordan Segall at and federal levels, and our fight for a livable wage for [email protected]. airport workers and city employees must be protected.
On MLK day on January 16, we participated in a march We invite you to "like" our Facebook page at: from Sixth and Market Streets to Mother Bethel Church, www.facebook.com/SHSYoungFriends/. located at Sixth and Lombard. A few thousand people, including many SHS members, gathered to hear impassioned speakers talk about protecting workers’ rights, refugee and immigrants’ rights and fighting minority oppression. The afternoon concluded with a stirring benediction by Rabbi Winokur.
POWER itself has undergone significant changes in its leadership. The new executive director is Reverend Gregory Holston, a force of energy, who is leading the organization toward focusing on the current issues for which we must aggressively continue to fight.
We hope congregants will continue to support our efforts to promote equality, fair funding for our public schools, an end to racism, and compassionate treatment for refugees fleeing war and oppression. If you have any 301 Bainbridge St, Philadelphia, PA 19147 questions or thoughts, please contact me (Carl Levitsky) PH: 215-925-7330 Fax: 215-925-7331 at at [email protected] or Gerry Faich at www.queenvillagefamilydentistry.com [email protected]. MARCH/APRIL 2017 |5777 9
President’s Column Continued from page 3 Community News
Finally, I would like to discuss the status of the Space Mazel Tov to Enhancement Initiative. I strongly advocate that our community Mel Nasielski and Nancy Burd on the engage- should begin the process of putting into place the plans for us ment of their daughter, Katharine Burd Nasielski to Benjamin Kurland. to be able to renovate our current space and expand into our property at 430 Spruce. Jeremey Newberg and Jonathan David and Sayde Ladov on the recent marriage Weiss are leading us toward our goals. Immediately following of their daughter, Hillary Ladov to Marc Gutstein. the TGIShabbat service on February 24, preliminary plans and ideas were presented and discussed. We look forward to your Holman and Gail Massey on the birth of their feedback. Although, we have hard work ahead of us, the effort grandson, Asa Wilder Massey. to date has been strong and positive. More specifics will be forthcoming over the next several months as we start the Condolences to exciting next phases of the process. Bruce (Carol) Katcher on the death of Bruce’s mother, Miriam Katcher. As always, I invite all of you to contact me ([email protected]) at any time to discuss your thoughts H.P. and Debbie Baker on the death of their and observations. mother, Liesel Baker.
Bonni (Jerry Faich) Rubin-Sugarman on the death of Bonni’s father, Larry Rubin.
Welcome to Cindy Farlino Meyer and Judy Rohtbart
2016-2017 SHS B’nai Mitzvah Celebrations
March 4 Maxon Raphael Son of Michael & Jennifer Raphael
March 18 Lysander Michaels-Koenig Son of Julia Michaels-Koenig & Scott Koenig
June 24 Noah Kauderwood Son of Ira Kauderwood & Peter Kauderwood
10 SOCIETY HILL SYNAGOGUE’S KESHER
Louis Golding Sco Siff MARCH BIRTHDAYS Elliot Landes Thomas Borawski Theodore Danoff Joshua Cooper Megan Weisman Hope Honeyman Stephanie Wolson Nancy Machinist Libby Rosof Drew Cohen Jessica Mono Sadie Margolin Rafael Dov Winokur Lily Newman APRIL BIRTHDAYS Beverly Michaels Maxon Raphael Luke Makuen Richard Summers Benjamin Brookstein Carl Levitsky Olivia Coran Isabella Brookstein Murray Dubin Raphael Englander Morgan Landes Mayah Gold Susan Leshnoff MARCH ANNIVERSARIES Linda Rosenstein Hyla Rosenberg David & Rebecca Makuen Amy Finkel Leah Jordan Scot & Marcie Ziskind Daniel Horowitz Alan Casper Arthur & Miriam Shapiro Ann Lebowitz Steinberger Steve Graham Michael Yudell & Jacquie Rick Toni Pitock Robert Blacksberg Steve Morley & Liz Abrams‐Morley Diane Siegel Danoff Natalie Lesser Bruce & Carol Katcher Charlo e Yudell Alan Ominsky Edgar & Barbara Einhorn Alan Casnoff Barbara Ro enberg Howard Sedran & Martha Levine Marjorie Goldstein Greyson Sobel Con nued on page 11 Rachel Ladenson Zachary Downes Lysander Michaels‐Koenig Isaac Freedman Richard Braemer Gerry Schneeberg Jonah Cohen Evelyn Segal Ronald Krasnick Harry Feinberg Sara Steinbock Ashleigh Reibach Raphael Licht Stella Wolson Charlo e Ro er Jessica Downes Amy Shapiro William Goldberg Jeremey Newberg Brian Englander Anita Stein Kathy Bernsten Dinah Lovitch Stephen Brown Eloise Wilson Evan Cohen What is a Kiddush or Oneg? Charlo e Coran Hannah Davidson Meredith Buse Customarily at the end of Shabbat morning and holiday Margot Englander services, the SHS community joins Jacqueline Goldfinger Ella Gutstadt together to bless the wine (make “Kiddush”) and the Noah Herman Mary Fish bread (make “Motzi”), and enjoy good food and company! This is what we call “the Kiddush.” Staci Schwartz Ruth Greenberg Bruce Katcher Benjamin Kauderwood Similarly, at the conclusion of Friday evening Kabbalat Odilia Kirshenbaum Michael Raphael Shabbat service, we gather for an Oneg or a Shabbat din‐ Mira Treatman Adina Zalesne Siff ner, where we bless the wine & bread and share light Jonathan Freitag refreshments or dinner. Sponsoring this weekly Amalya Wolf Weiss community event is a wonderful way to celebrate a simha Susan Berman Bruce Hirsch or joy, mark a special moment in one’s life, honor Nancy Moses Derek Jordan someone, or commemorate a Yahrzeit. Sponsoring Sophie Coran Iris Levine a Kiddush, Oneg, or Shabbat dinner helps the community to get to know you and share important moments in your Sally Gendler Isabella Sobel life. It is also a way to say thank you to your community. Eleanor Oxman Richard Balderston Risa Stolker Emma Graham Please call the SHS office at 215.922.6590 or email us at Nina Datlof Esme Oxman offi[email protected] for more informa on. Carole Le Faivre‐Rochester Deborah Shapiro
11 MARCH/APRIL 2017 | 5777 Social Action and related activities, inform the SHS community of proposed/actionable items, and provide guidance when We Are Making Progress With Two phone calls and emails to our legislators are needed. We are continuing to explore other related activities of Our Objectives and will be reaching out to the congregation shortly for Phyllis Denbo input. What programs do we want to make our own? To what extent are we willing to commit ourselves? Stay tuned for further information. Vare-Washington Elementary School t was really hopping at the Vare-Washington library on Martin Luther King Day! Almost forty SHS members of I all ages showed up to help organize and shelve books. APRIL ANNIVERSARIES Con nued from page 10 Early arrivals sat at tables assigning grade levels to the Ian & Leigh Goldwasser books. Families arriving later took responsibility for placing Carl & Roberta Dranoff the books on the appropriate shelves. Under the able Alexander & Andrea Ehrlich leadership of Flora Wolf, the volunteers worked efficiently, collaboratively, and with good humor. When they began, Moshe & Orah Mahlab there were boxes and boxes of books on the floor and Joshua & Stephanie Wolson individual books scattered randomly wherever there was Mark Dembert & Mary Fish space. Three hours later, the boxes were gone and the books were neatly arranged by grade level and subject matter. It looked like a real library! I want to thank all of the volunteers for their hard work and enthusiasm.
The biweekly reading program at the library continues to be a favorite activity for all of the students in grades K-4, as well as for the volunteers. Beginning in March, a class of autistic students will also be spending an hour in the library every other week, listening to volunteers read stories and then selecting books to check out and read at home. If you wish to volunteer at Vare-Washington, please contact me at [email protected].
Immigration The Social Action Committee has had two meetings since the very successful December Shabbaton on Immigration. We decided to take on the important job of advocating for immigration/refugee support. Jordan Segall has agreed to lead this effort. He will keep track of relevant legislation 12 CONTRIBUTIONS General Fund Yahrzeit Remembrance In Honor of Herb Weissbach, Father of Debbie Weissbach Society Hill Synagogue Debbie Weissbach Stanley Levy Cantor’s Discretionary Fund In Memory of In Honor of Elsa Kolansky, Mother of Betta Kolansky Terry Novick Stanley & Judith Woloff Miriam Katcher, Mother of Bruce Katcher Mark Steinberger & Ann Lebowitz Steinberger Bar Mitzvah of Daniel Saligman Elliott & Susan Schaffer Peter and Meg Saligman Bob & Jane Belopolsky Yahrzeit Remembrance Yahrzeit Remembrance Hy Blask, Uncle of Judith Woloff Adam Levy Stanley & Judith Woloff Joseph & Dorene Rosenthal Henry Blask, Father of Judith Woloff Belle Mandell Fodor, Mother of Alexis Berg Marmar Stanley & Judith Woloff Alexis Berg Marmar & Joel Marmar Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund Natalie Smith, Aunt of Alexis Berg Marmar In Appreciation of Alexis Berg Marmar & Joel Marmar Kindness Extended to Kolansky Family
Betta Kolansky Mary Dubin, Mother of Murray Dubin
Murray Dubin & Libby Rosof In Honor of Natalie Cohn, Wife of Herbert Cohn Baby Naming of Shayna Heere, Granddaughter of Herbert Cohn Joel Chernock Joel Chernock Louis Blender, Father of Burton Blender Burton Blender & Libby Harwitz Blender Bar Mitzvah of Daniel Saligman Peter and Meg Saligman Roy Rieder, Father of Joan Roller Jerry & Joan Roller In Memory of Elsa Kolansky, Mother of Betta Kolansky Betta Kolansky Annual Giving Fund In Honor of Yahrzeit Remembrance Bat Mitzvah of Margot Oxman Isadore Goldenberg, Father of Marc Goldenberg Dan & Dana Feinberg Marc & Nancy Goldenberg
In Memory of Ruth Blask, Mother of Judith Woloff Elsa Kolansky, Mother of Betta Kolansky Stanley & Judith Woloff Dan & Dana Feinberg Selma Brown, Mother of Stephen Brown Restoration Fund Stephen & Pelley Brown
In Honor of Pauline Schertz Rosen, Mother of Pelley Brown Harry & Eleanor Oxman’s Granddaughter, Margot Oxman Stephen & Pelley Brown Becoming a Bat Mitzvah Iris Levine Ann Isacoff, Mother of Judy Gelles Judy Gelles Yahrzeit Remembrance Ben Levine, Father-in-Law of Iris Levine Beatrice K. Chernock, Mother of Joel Chernock Iris Levine Joel Chernock
Social Action Fund Silver Heit Salkin Fund In Honor of In Honor of Birth of Tema Henya Elitzer, SHS Hebrew School Granddaughter of Murray Dubin & Libby Rosof Tal & Valerie Pipano and Family Murray Dubin & Libby Rosof Holman & Gail Massey on the birth of their grandson, Asa. Harry & Eleanor Oxman, Granddaughter Marc, Staci, & Jamie Schwartz Margot’s Bat Mitzvah Larry & Shelia Burtstein David & Sayde Ladov on the recent marriage of their daughter Hillary to Marc Gutstein. Marc, Staci, & Jamie Schwartz 13 MARCH/APRIL 2017 | 5777 Mark Your Calendars for These Kiddush Fund Michael Davidson & Christy Reardon Upcoming TGIShabbat Services Jonathan Freitag & Sara Shelley David & Sayde Ladov Friday, March 24 Jeremey & Fran Newberg oin us on Friday, March 24, Harry & Eleanor Oxman 6:15 PM, for a TGIShabbat Peter & Meg Saligman J service featuring internationally Barry & Joann Slosberg acclaimed saxophonist and Mark Steinberger & Ann Lebowitz Steinberger recording artist Jonathan Bill & Debbie Stewart Wintringham. Mr. Wintringham has Marty & Betty van de Rijn given recitals, master classes and residencies, and has collaborated with well-known composers, Tree of Life throughout the United States, Leaves Canada, China, England, Japan, In Honor of and Mexico. A recipient of multiple awards and the winner Birth of Sosi Shelley, of a multitude of competitions, Mr. Wintringham is Daughter of Jonathan Freitag & Sara Shelley currently the soprano saxophone chair of the award- SHS Board of Directors winning chamber ensemble, the East End Quartet, which will release its debut album in the fall of 2016, featuring Marriage of Dana Roen to Louis Backover the music of J.S. Bach, Michael Djupstrom, Jun Nagao, Alexandra Rosen’s Graduation from Newhouse School at Astor Piazzolla, and more. Wintringham holds a Master of Syracuse University Music degree and Performer’s Certificate from the Paul & Wendy Rosen’s 30th Wedding Anniversary Eastman School of Music, and a Bachelor of Music Bat Mitzvah of Alexandra Rosen degree from The University of Arizona. He received the Marriage of Jennifer Rosen to Michael Raphael University of Arizona’s Undergraduate Research Grant Bar Mitzvah of Maxon Raphael and the Eastman School of Music's Professional Develop- Paul & Wendy Rosen ment Grant, and has performed significant research involving the role of saxophone in Japan, including a Branch six-month Tokyo based investigation into the inner Paul & Wendy Rosen workings of the collegiate training systems and musical cultures of Japan.
Friday, April 28 oin us to celebrate Yom Ha’atzma’ut (Israel Independence J Day) at a special TGIShabbat service on April 28 at 6:15 PM, featuring award-winning active recitalist and cham- ber musician Nitzan Haroz, Principal Trombone of the Philadelphia Orchestra and a native of Israel. Having Nitzan join us for this celebration of Israel through Shabbat spirituality, world-class sound, and Sabra soul has become one of our favorite SHS traditions. At the Federation’s request, we will be live-streaming the service to senior centers and communities throughout Greater Philadelphia, thus bringing the ru’ah (spirit) of Society Hill Synagogue to the entire region!
Mr. Haroz has performed as Assistant Principal Trombone of the New York Philharmonic, Principal Trombone of the Israel Symphony and Opera Orchestra, Continued on page 14
14 SOCIETY HILL SYNAGOGUE’S KESHER
Student Rabbi’s Column Continued from page 2 Upcoming TGIShabbat Services Continued from page 13 Oftentimes, it’s the language itself that gets in the way. The word “God” has been used and misused in so many Principal Trombone of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and different ways that it can carry little meaning for us, at First Trombone of the Israel Defense Forces Orchestra. best, or be full-on alienating, at worst. For me, the word Nitzan Haroz rejoined the Philadelphia Orchestra as “God” is a stand-in. Just as in Parashat Ki Tissa we read Principal Trombone (which included his Carnegie Hall that God tells even Moses that he cannot glimpse God’s solo debut) in 2014 after holding the same position with face, for it is too powerful, for me, I recognize that fully the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 2012. grasping who or what God is is futile. And yet I can feel my heart yearning, searching for That Which Escapes He has commissioned and premiered several works for Encapsulation in a Mere Word. “God” or “Adonai” or the trombone and harp with his mother, harpist Adina Haroz, many Hebrew words we have devoted to this endeavor and has given master classes and recitals in Israel, the serve as a means of providing a common template, so U.S., Europe, and Asia. His recording, Towards the we can engage in this search together––with those who Light, was released in 2004. Nitzan currently serves on came before us, with those who will be here after us, the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. and with our friends, family, and community today. Just as we recognize that no physical manifestation can fully The service will be followed by a delicious Israeli dinner, represent God, neither can a verbal or linguistic one. and RSVPs to Betty ([email protected]) are requested by Wednesday, April 26. The service and All this is to say that we should not let the limits of our dinner are open to the entire community, and this idiom be an impediment to our search for meaning, to TGIShabbat celebration of Yom Ha’atzma’ut is our search for truth, and to our search for nourishment. generously supported in part by an Israel Cultural Grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. If we are to be our brothers’ keepers, our sisters’ keepers, as our tradition implores us, it is important that we tend to our spiritual needs in the same way we might tend to our physical and emotional needs. It is important that we embody what it means to be of the people Israel At a Glance Dates ––wrestling with, grappling with, engaging with “El.” God. Whatever that means to us. Purim Celebration Saturday, March 11 Here at SHS, we hope to continue the conversation of how we can keep each other’s spiritual tanks filled: how 7 PM Cantata we can meet the wide range of individual spiritual constitutions––be they intellectual, liturgical, musical, or 7:30 PM Scotch Tasting otherwise––and not assume that spirituality looks the same to everyone. To paraphrase the inimitable words 8 PM Megillah Reading of Jerry Maguire, help us help you. Help us continue to understand how we can build a space that allows us to feel rejuvenated for the important work to come. The celebration will
continue…
~ with SHS’s Annual Purim Carnival
Join us on Sunday, March 12, 11 AM to 1 PM 15 MARCH/APRIL 2017 | 5777
Adult Education Two New Spring Courses Marc Schwartz
ust a reminder that in addition to our year-long courses like Shabbat Study With Rabbi Berman, Nuts & Bolts With Rabbi Winokur (now with Rabbinic Intern Nathan Kamesar), and I See Bagels in Your Future: Prophecy, Kingship, J & Cream Cheese with Rafi Licht, we have two new spring courses beginning soon.
How Does One Become Part of the Jewish People? Dates: Wednesdays 3/1, 3/1, 3/15, & 3/22 Time: 7:30–9 PM Faculty: Advanced Standing Rabbinical Student Birgit Klein Location: Beit Midrash Fee: No charge
In his recently published book, American Post-Judaism: Identity and Renewal in a Post-ethnic Society, Shaul Magid discusses alternative methods of conversion to become part of the Jewish people. Indeed, the biblical “stranger.” Ruth– –who was integrated into the Jewish people and became a famous role model for converts––never formally converted to Judaism. Only rabbinic Judaism developed a conversion ritual that still serves as the outline for today’s conversion to Judaism. Thus, the way in which “strangers” were and are integrated into Judaism and the Jewish Community reflects the criteria of belonging to Judaism and Jewish core values. In this class, we will analyze and discuss these criteria and values, as well as the different pathways of conversion over the centuries since ancient times.
The Amidah: What We Say, Why We Say It, and What Else We Could Be Saying
Dates: Wednesdays 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, & 5/10 Time: 7–8:30 PM Faculty: Rabbinic Intern Nathan Kamesar Location: Beit Midrash Fee: No charge
One of the paradigmatic Jewish prayers is the Amidah, said morning, noon, and night—with variations from weekdays to Shabbat to holidays. But why has it become so important? Where does it come from? And what are we truly saying when we say it? The weekday version is one of the most complex, multifaceted human prayers our tradition has to offer with blessings as varied as a plea for sustenance and health to hopes that our enemies don't prosper to blessings of gratitude. We take a close look at this prayer as a means of furthering our own spiritual growth and of wrestling with our tradition to gain new meaning for our own lives.
Mark your calendars for the following TGIShabbat Services
March 24 Jonathan Wintrigham
April 28 Yom Ha’atzmut Nitzam Haroz
May 19 TBA
16 SOCIETY HILL SYNAGOGUE’S KESHER
Annual Giving Appeal
Thank you for your recent contribution to the SHS Annual Giving Fund which is vital to the financial health of our Synagogue. Your continued generosity has enabled us to make up the difference between our income from Membership dues and Playschool tuition and our operating expenses.
Jud Aaron & Susan Snedden Judith Axler Dan & Dana Feinberg Steve Graham & Amy van de Rijn-Graham Don & Karen Kaufman Iris Levine Michael & Jennifer Raphael Marc & Staci Schwartz Irving & Sharon Shapiro Bill & Debra Stewart James & Julie Wilson Avi Winokur & Susan Berman Stanley & Judy Woloff
17 MARCH/APRIL 2017 |5777
Hebrew School students enjoy a variety of Israeli dances as part of the monthly Israeli culture series called “Ketzev: The Rhythm of Israeli Culture.” This series explores Israeli slang, short stories, dancing, pop/rock music, history, heroes, and national symbols with an exciting multimedia approach.
18 SOCIETY HILL SYNAGOGUE’S KESHER
CABARET NIGHT
MARCH/APRIL 2017– 5777 19
MLK Day at Vare-Washington Elementary School
20 SOCIETY HILL SYNAGOGUE’S KESHER
Young Families Group Join Us on March 3 for a JKidPhilly Center City Event! Joanna Hart
We’re going CITYWIDE with our next Friday Nights with Young Fami- lies program! On Friday, March 3, from 5:15 until 7 PM, SHS will host a JKidPhilly Center City official event! Join us as we welcome families from around Philadelphia to celebrate with us during the special and creative new service we’ve created for young families. Let’s show our larger Jewish community how special and welcoming our syn- agogue can be!
Geared especially towards families with babies and kids through Pre-K, we celebrate Shabbat with song, dance, prayers, including our own special Kiddush. The program runs from 5:15–6:15 PM, allowing family members to also attend the following 6:15 PM Kabbalat Shabbat Service in the main Sanctuary if they are interested. A professional educator, who has many years of experience in Jewish youth programming, will focus on age-appropriate music and movement, creating a warm exposure to Shabbat and synagogue experiences. We aim to help children and their families learn rituals that can provide a basis for Jewish life in the home and synagogue.
Following our musical and relaxed service, we will share a meatless potluck dinner. Bring a dish (main, side, or dessert) or drink to share, if you are able. As always, families with new babies and/or who have had particularly busy weeks are excused from contributing to the feast, and we will just be grateful for your presence.
Mark your calendars for the other dates for which the Friday Nights With Young Families program is scheduled: May 5 and June 2. Please RSVP to [email protected] if your family plans to attend, but feel free to join us even if you don’t!
On another note, we hope you will continue to take full advantage of our book collection outside the main Sanctuary, as well as the child care services that are available during regularly scheduled Shabbat services.
To join our email list, please contact me at the above address. Prospective members, expectant parents, and any caretakers are welcome to join our group
Come check out what this fun service is all about!
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More photos from Cabaret Night 22 MARCH 2017
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 T’rumah 4 7 PM Education 5:15 PM Young 9 AM Torah Study Committee Mtg. Families Service 9:30 AM 7:30 PM Adult 6:15 PM Kabbalat Bar Mitzvah of Education with Shabbat Service Maxon Raphael Birgit Klein
5 6 7 8 9 10 T’zavveh 11 9 AM SS 7:15 AM Minyan 7:15 PM Social 6:15 PM Kabbalat 9 AM Torah Study 11 AM HS 4:15 PM HS Action Committee Shabbat Service 10 AM Services Meeting 10 AM Shabbat Study 7:30 PM Adult Education with 7 PM Cantata Birgit Klein 7:30 PM Scotch Tasting 8 PM Megillah Reading
Purim 12 13 14 15 16 17 Ki Tissa 18 9-11 AM SS/HS 7 PM ECM 7:15 AM Minyan 7:30 PM Adult 6:15 PM Kabbalat 9 AM Torah Study 4:15 PM HS Education with Shabbat Service 11 AM to 1 PM Birgit Klein 9:30 AM Purim Carnival Bar Mitzvah of Lysander Michaels-Koenig
Va-yak hel/ 19 20 21 22 23 24 P’kudei 25 9 AM SS 7:15 AM Minyan 7:30 PM Adult 6:15 PM 9 AM Torah Study 9:15 AM Nuts & 4:15 PM HS Education with TGIShabbat Ser- 10 AM Services Bolts with Nathan Birgit Klein vice featuring As- 10 AM Shabbat Kamesar tral Artist Jonathan Study 11 AM HS Wintrigham 11:15 AM I See Bagels with Rafi Licht
26 27 28 29 30 31 9 AM SS 7 PM BDM 7:15 AM Minyan 6:15 PM Kabbalat 11 AM HS 4:15 PM HS Shabbat Service APRIL 2017 23
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
Va-yikra 1 9 AM Torah Study 10 AM Services
2 3 4 5 6 7 Tzav 8 9 AM SS 7 PM ECM 7:15 AM Minyan 5 PM Playschool 9 AM Torah Study 9:15 AM Nuts & 4:15 PM HS Shabbat Dinner 10 AM Shabbat Bolts Study 11 AM HS 6:15 PM Kabbalat 10:30 AM Gan 12 PM B/M Parent Shabbat Service Class Service & Class with Cantor Lunch
9 10 11 12 13 14 Hol Hamoed15 Building Closed Erev Pesah Pesah I Pesah II 6:15 PM Kabbalat 9 AM Torah Study Building Closed Office/PS Closed Building Closed Shabbat Service 10 AM Services 1st Seder 9:30 AM Service
6 PM Community Passover Seder
16 17 18 19 20 21 Sh’mini 22 Building Closed Pesah VII Pesah VIII 7 PM Adult Educa- 6:15 PM Dalet 9 AM Torah Study Building Closed Office/PS Closed tion with Nathan Class Service & 10 AM Services 9:30 AM Service Kamesar Dinner 10 AM Shabbat with Yiskor Study
Tazria/M’tzora 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Yom Hashoah 7 PM BDM 7:15 AM Minyan 7 PM Adult Educa- 6:15 PM 9 AM Torah Study 9 AM SS 4:15 PM HS tion with Nathan TGIShabbat fea- 10 AM Services 9:15 AM Nuts & Kamesar turing 10 AM Shabbat Bolts Nitzan Haroz Study 11 AM HS 11:15 AM I See Bagels
30 9 AM SS 9:15 AM Nuts & Bolts 11 AM HS Arts & Culture Walking Tour of Center City
NEWSLETTER—MARCH/APRIL 2017 ISSUE Kesher
418 Spruce Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 Phone 215.922.6590 Fax 215.922.6599 www.societyhillsynagogue.org
Avi Winokur, Rabbi Nathan Kamesar, Rabbinic Intern Steven Freidrich, Interim Cantor Harry Oxman, President Be y van de Rijn, Execu ve Director Sahar Oz, Educa on Director Gloria Parris & Ali Kaplan, Playschool Co‐Directors Staci Schwartz, Kesher Editor SOCIETY HILL SYNAGOGUE’S KESHER